JDRF Research

To date, JDRF has awarded more than $1.7 billion to diabetes research. More than 80% of JDRF's expenditures directly support research and research-related education.

/ JDRF Research

JDRF Research

To cure type 1 diabetes and remove the disease from the lives of our loved ones.

To develop better ways to treat type 1 diabetes allowing people to live better, healthier lives.

To prevent type 1 diabetes from occurring in those most susceptible.

JDRF remains dedicated to finding a cure for type 1 diabetes as our highest priority. To cure type 1 diabetes will require the restoration of glucose-responsive, insulin-secreting beta cells by several possible methods, such as regeneration of remaining beta cells, or transplantation of an outside source of glucose-responsive, insulin-secreting cells. Restoration of functional beta cells either by regeneration or transplantation will need to include a way to stop the immune system from attacking these cells in the future. While clear progress is being made on these fronts, delivering a cure is a marathon effort, not a sprint.

Until a cure is within more immediate reach, JDRF is committed to keeping individuals with type 1 diabetes healthy and reducing the burden of living with the disease by improving glucose control with drugs and devices, including the development of artificial pancreas systems. Also, for those patients who have lived with the disease for decades, JDRF believes it is essential to find new ways to prevent, reverse or treat the complications of type 1 diabetes.

Additionally, as part of a comprehensive research program on type 1 diabetes, JDRF is funding research to further understand the underlying causes of the disease to develop strategies to prevent the disease from occurring in future generations.

General Research Strategy

In addition to focusing on specific research challenges and gaps that will lead to curing, better treating and preventing type 1 diabetes, JDRF works to decrease barriers to commercial development of products for type 1 diabetes. In fact, JDRF is an organization that defines success as the point at which advances reach patients. So, a key JDRF goal is to help speed the delivery of new products to patients. JDRF does this by funding research focused on:

Additionally, it will be critically important that clinicians are educated and willing to adopt new treatment options for patients with type 1 diabetes, as they become available.

JDRF recognizes that curing, better treating and preventing type 1 diabetes will not occur without fully leveraging critical partnerships. JDRF will continue to partner with the academic sector, NIH, other funders and foundations, industry, investors, regulatory agencies, and healthcare payers to accelerate the translation of novel discoveries in the lab through commercial development, clinical evaluation of safety and efficacy, regulatory approval and reimbursement, and ultimately clinician and patient adoption; all towards the goal of having the greatest and fastest positive impact on individuals living with type 1 diabetes or at risk of developing type 1 diabetes.